MY TEACHING ON THE ACRONYMS AND MYSTERIES OF THE TANAKH

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The word Tanakh (pronounced Ta'Nock) is a Hebrew word that has taken on the meaning "Entire Bible". Depending on who you talk to the word has also taken on other meanings, one of which is "all of the Holy writings" (but yet outside of the actual published Jewish Tanakh).

However in the most strict sense of the word, it can ONLY mean ONE thing which is indicated by the double geresh cantillation mark " (gershayim ).

This means that the word Tanakh is an acronym for exactly what the book contains.

In Hebrew, Tanakh is spelled using three letters (TNK ) which stand for three things:

1. Torah (Teaching – The First Five Books of Moses)
2. Nevi'im (The Prophets)
3. Ketuvim (Writings and Poetic Books)

The Tanakh is divided up into three (3) parts and seven (7) total sections:

Torah is the first of the three parts and has one (1) section.
Nevi'im is the second part which has three (3) sections.
Ketuvim is the third part which also has three (3) sections.

P A R T (1) TORAH

It would be a good exercise to learn the meanings and how to pronounce each of these books in both English and Hebrew (one section at a time).

P A R T (2) NEVI'IM

The first two sections of Nevi'im (Prophets in English) are:

1. The older or First Prophets - Rishonim meaning “First”
2. The newer or Recent Prophets – Aharonim meaning “Recent”

The third and last section of Nevi'im is what is called “Trei Asar” which means “The Twelve”.

The Twelve was evidenced as being together in a single scroll as early as 190 B.C. (The Jewish Study Bible). A second witness is also confirmed by the Dead Sea Scrolls that the order was in existence during 150 B.C..

Trei Asar is made up of twelve books of prophets and what some others may already call the “minor prophets”.

Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

Most important in Jewish tradition however is the fact that all of these prophets are treated as "one book" or "one" scroll.

P A R T (3) KETUVIM

The first section of Ketuvim is called “Sifrei Emet” (Books/Scrolls of Truth).

Just as Tanakh is an acronym for three Hebrew words, “EMET”the Hebrew word for truth is used as an acrostic (using the first letter of each book name).

The presentation of the oldest scrolls make it appear that these scrolls were designed to group together in this way.

The second section of Ketuvim is called “Hamesh Megillot” (The Five Scrolls).

There is no established tradition for the third and last section of Ketuvim which may be another mystery to be found. Or maybe even an answer to another one found in Lamentations.

If each of these sections to all of these parts (totaling seven in all), are reference to Jeremiah's acrostics (7 groups of 22 verses).

The first 6 groups (of 22) are found to be in order containing the Aleph-Bet first letter for each first word in order for each verse.

However the last group of 22 is missing the order, just as this seventh part of Tanakh. Or possibly both are testifying to the same event in these last days just as Daniel's Seventh/70th Week.

In the section below we see Daniel, Ezra and Chronicles which (maybe coincidentally) means the events of the days? Ezra is building a glorious house and Daniel is all about our days and times!

The Hamesh Megillot (Five Scrolls) are also said to be read during the time of counting the omer.

I think this could be significant seeing that again we have 7x7=49 weeks that are counted.

Why is Lamentations acrostic?

Why are there 7 sections of Aleph-Bet?

Why is the last section the same 22 verses but not acrostic?

The last section is missing God or God's word which could point to a time of chaos or when God's Spirit is removed from the earth.

The Jewish custom of the counting of omer starts with the same day that messiah raises from the dead (Resurrection Sunday).

When omer is counted there is a blessing for not missing a day and for waiting until the 50th day.

On the 40th day messiah went up into the clouds said go to Jerusalem and wait for the promise (blessing of omer) and on the 50th day the Holy Spirit was given!

This all fits too perfectly. Have a look at the acrostics of Lamentations below and the scrolls pictured on the two ancient omer calendars.

OMER CALENDARS

After Thoughts

Why is the last section of Lamentations not acrostic?

It could be pointing to a time of chaos; It could be denoting something to come such as the book of Esther (which completes the five chapters) but was not yet in existence.

Also note that Esther has two verses in which every letter of the Aleph-Bet is used (once when power is given over the Jews and the other when they get the Kings decree that they can fight back and they overcome); If also something to do with prophecy on the order of the books (these seven sections) these last three Daniel, Ezra and Chronicles did also not yet exist.

However the chapter does and it is not acrostic to show their future place. Please e-mail me with any thoughts.

Megillot: Traditions of ordering the books

Most Printed Books:
Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther

Date Order:
Ruth: 1030-1010 BC, Song of Solomon: 971-965 BC, Ecclesiastes: 940-931 BC, Lamentations: 586 BC, Esther: 450-331 BC.

The Babylonian Talmud:
Ruth, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Lamentations, Esther (Bava Batra 14b-15a)

Aleppo Codex and Westminster Leningrad Codex:
Ruth, Song of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, Lamentations, Esther

Megillot: Traditions of when read in Synagogue

Songs: Passover Ruth: Shavuot Lamentations: Tisha B'Av Ecclesiastes: Sukkot Esther: Purim

Other Ketuvim Ordering

The Talmud orders the third part of ketuvim towards the end as seen:
Ruth, Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Lamentations of Jeremiah, Daniel, Scroll of Esther, Ezra, Chronicles